Mad Men: "A Tale of Two Cities" Review

"We’re going to do Alice in Wonderland."

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June 3, 2013

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

When Don Draper goes to California, things happen. And such was the case again this week, only this time, it was Don nearly drowning in a pool. “I usually felt better out there,” laments Don as to Roger, as they return home. Of course, Anna is long gone and so much of the happiness Don felt on his other trips was just a brief sensation...

Don’s drug-fueled experience at that party was another intriguing look inside his mind. While making out with that actress (the one thing we can assume probably actually did happen), he remarked, “I told you that’s not my name,” when she called him Don, seeming to imply again that he would shed the entire Don Draper identity, if he could. It certainly seems he’d like things to be good with Megan as well, as he imagined her appearing to him pregnant and telling him they can have “a second chance.” Again, wanting it and getting it are different things, but it seems right now, Don is in the “make this work” place with his marriage… even when making out with random women.

Of course, Don also envisioned Dinkins telling him, “Dying doesn’t make you whole. You should see what you look like." And while we learned Don was in very real danger at that moment, in the pool, it's not a big leap to wonder if this is something else on Don't mind. Is the death in question “Dick Whitman,” who’s been gone for a long time? Or, more disturbingly (but not shockingly, sadly), does Don just not think of his current existence as living at all?

Before things got all deep, heavy and existential, “A Tale of Two Cities” actually started out as very funny episodes of Mad Men. From Don wandering into a meeting late and then sighing, “Are we done here?” to Roger stating, “Our biggest challenge is to not get syphilis,” there was a lot to laugh at. And then there was Ginsberg absolutely losing it with Jim, which resulted in everyone but Stan getting the hell out of there, only for Stan to finally exclaim, “This is my stop!” when Ginsberg got to Jim hating blacks and Jews.

In the midst of this, Jim had a very funny line of his own to Bob – “Why are you always down here!? Go back upstairs!” But of course, everyone watching Mad Men is wondering why is Bob always down there? Is he simply an ambitious and kind employee? Or is he more ruthlessly ambitious, wearing the mask of oh-so-friendly Bob because that’s what he’s chosen? We are getting more and more of Bob this season, but still not quite enough to have the full picture, but it’s certainly a compelling subplot. One thing we can now surmise though is he and Joan are not a couple (despite spending time outside the office together), given she went on what she thought was a date this week…

Which led to a really interesting storyline for Joan, though one that put her in a very precarious position with her job. Once upon a time, Joan had somewhat accepted that things were the way they were and there was no changing that – which, rightfully so, Peggy threw back at her this week, reminding Joan, “Yes you did, every day,” when Joan claimed to have never tried to stop Peggy’s forward thinking ways in the office. But now Joan wants more and goes about trying to secure herself a new account for the company – but does so in all the wrong ways. Yes, it’s horribly frustrating when Ted brings Pete in on the possible Avon account too, but no one -- Peggy included -- thinks Joan handles it well when she tries to block Pete from that account. And while Peggy does save Joan at the end, it’s only after it really seemed like Joan could be in danger of losing her job over what she did.

I love Joan, but it did feel like she was trying to make too big a leap at once – that she could have used landing Avon for the company as a stepping stone for a more elevated position in the future. In the meantime, forget what seemed to be a newfound Joan/Pete friendship, as the two were at each other’s throats this week – and Pete, sigh, had to make a reference to Joan and the Jaguar guy – “I bet you’re making them very happy!” – despite having been so integral in making that happen. Pete, why do you have to make it so damn hard to root for you for a prolonged period of time? But both Joan and Pete are great examples of Mad Men rarely making any of its characters overly perfect or overly horrible - they all have their complexities, including times in which they shine and moments in which they make moves that are impossible to defend, sometimes within minutes of one another.

Of course, by the end of the episode, Pete, who has been close to cracking all season, seems to be trying the “tune out” method, partaking in Stan’s ever-present weed. A one-time thing or Pete going down a new path?

It seems fitting that the company’s new name is a return to its original name (Well, pretty damn close) with Sterling, Cooper & Partners. The fact that Roger and Bert had nothing to do with it is amusing of course, even as we know that Jim is still looking at this new company as a struggle for power. And while Ted is trying to play peacekeeper, it remains to be seen how long that can last before things blow up.

All that, plus Roger pushed Danny (Danny Strong, taking a break from winning Emmys and writing Hunger Games sequels to reprise his role) too far and got punched in the nuts for it! It was quite an entertaining hour of Mad Men, to be sure...

Lastly, I had no idea Ronald Reagan used to be referred to as Dutch Reagan. Thanks, angry Carnation guy!